But the state's fish consumption advisory covers much more than PCB-tainted streches of Clear Creek, Salt Creek, and Richland Creek.
It also warns against eating too much of certain fish from the relatively clean waters of Lake Monroe and still-polluted waterways such as the East Fork of the White River.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, State Department of Health, and Department of Environmental Management issue the advisory.
"We're not discouraging people from eating fish" said Dollis Wright, director of environmental epidemiology with the state health department.
"In fact, fish are good for you. Our whole purpose is to provide people with information so they can make good choices on what fish to eat." But many angler's are only vaguely aware of the state recommendations. Some won't eat any fish they catch. Others dismiss the warnings or refused to hear them.
And while some state waterways have generally gotten cleaner, the list of lakes and streams covered by fish advisory has grown. It takes up 20 pages in a 52- pages booklet that also includes health information and suggestions on how to prepare fish to minimize the risks.
Wright said the advisory got bigger partly because the state knows more about fish contamination, and partly because it has become more cautious and conservative.
"We are being more protective of health, which is what we want to be," she said.
And there are more stringent for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, ore plan to have children and for children under 15 - groups tha
t are more sensitive to chemical risks. They target areas where fish contain mercury and PCB's, or polychlorinated byphenyls. Both can cause a range of health problems.
Bigger fish, bottom-eating fish and fish that eat other fish are riskier to eat. They've had more time and opportunity to build up contaminants in their bodies.
In the Bloomington-Bedford area, there are Group 5 "don't eat " warnings for the following:
Those advisories mean childre under 15 and women who are pregnant, breatfeeding, or plan to have children should never eat the fish.
There's Group 3 warning for big bass in Lake Monroe and Yellowwood Lake and big catfish in Lake Lemon.
Childbearing women shouldn't eat those fish, the advisory says. And no one should eat them more than once a month.
State officials suggest applying Group 2 consideration to any fish not listed in the advisory. That means they shouldn't be eaten more than once a week; and children and pregnant women shouldn't eat them more than once a month.
Warnings often ignored.